Hey, I’ve a question. Over the last 40 years, how many times have African Americans played or become the President in popular media (movies, television shows, comedy skits, comic books, literature)?
Dennis Haybert (24)
Tiny Lister (The Fifth Element)
James Earl Jones (The Man)
Morgan Freeman (Deep Impact)
Neal Stephenson wrote a book under the pseudonum of Stephen Bury in which a black woman ended up being elected President.
Others?
But it’s not this Spence but that one. The number of black homeschoolers has been shooting through the roof, in part because of the increase in black Christian families interested in embedding Christian principles in education, but also because of a sense that public and private schools are doing a disservice to black boys and girls. My wife was on Tell Me More as part of the Mocha Moms segment, and they devoted their show to homeschooling. Check it out.
Well…not exactly. But close enough.
Just like the “hecklers” had to raise hell to get the mic in the Obama townhall meeting, the only way that progressives and working class interests have gotten government to work for them is through agitation.
In blogging about the CNN Black Family series I mentioned that Fryer had a couple of theories that have been debunked…or tried to at any rate. The “Acting White” argument I dealt with some time ago. But the salty negro theory–which posits that black hypertension rates are high because we retain more salt than our white counterparts–is particularly pernicious. Over at Rustbelt Intellectual Tom S. takes a much longer look at this, using the work of my colleague Thomas LaViest. Required reading. Given the plethora of social scientists working on this issue, as well as that of educational outcomes, I don’t fully understand why those responsible for the show didn’t take a little more time to make a few phone calls.
It was striking alright…striking in as much as it smacked a whole bunch of black folks who are trying to make lemonade with lemons right in the mouth:
Too many fathers are M.I.A, too many fathers are AWOL, missing from too many lives and too many homes,” Mr. Obama said, to a chorus of approving murmurs from the audience. “They have abandoned their responsibilities, acting like boys instead of men. And the foundations of our families are weaker because of it.
More here.
The term “striking” doesn’t come from me but from the New York Times. Thing is that others have delivered “striking” speeches like this. Bill Clinton comes immediately to mind. As does Bill Cosby. Listen closely to the Minister Louis Farrakhan and you hear the same thing. In fact, the pastor of my wife’s church delivered the same message. This is the “courageous speech” that among other things tells listeners–not the people in the audience but potential voters–that he isn’t black like that. That says he isn’t a knee jerk liberal willing to blame racism for the ailments of black men. He adds a canard or two about more job training–these speeches usually include SOMETHING. But that’s about it.
It makes me sick to my stomach every time I hear it. Every time I hear someone give it. Unfortunately, given today’s intellectual climate critics like me will only be “proven right” when the same economic crises hits everyone else…and dads go AWOL. But of course then it won’t be cultural.
These are the types of speeches that make me want to stay home come November.
Update. Racism Review has the best analysis of the speech I’ve read.
